Agent-based model for the monitoring of visitor streams

Agent-based model for the monitoring of visitor streams

A study (Masterthesis, Stefan Mohr) using the example of the transboundary Harz National Park as the study area. Due to the large extent of the National Park (24,732 ha), an accurate measurement of visitor numbers (some 1.7 Mio estimated) and their spatiotemporal distribution (ca. 813 km of path network) is not feasible. With the ABM methodology, the streams of visitors in the area around the Brocken can be simulated accurately on the basis of existing visitor counts, a present path topology and further attributes for the study area. This helps the Harz National Park authority in making correct decisions in the future (closing ways, estimated the visitor frequencies, etc.). As a modelling environment, GAMA was chosen in version 1.7 RC2 because it has very extensive possibilities of spatial operators and simulation tasks, combined with an easy-to-understand modelling language.